This invention relates in general to the field of mail handling equipment and deals more particularly with a conveyor for transporting mail articles in an automatic mail sorting machine.
One of the problems associated with high speed automatic mail sorting equipment is to effectively handle and convey mail items which vary significantly in size and especially in width. For example, a typical batch of mail may include articles which vary in width between standard business envelopes and catalogs which may be 3/4 inch thick or more. If the mail sorting machine is to function effectively, it must be able to easily handle items of such diverse size and transport them to the proper sorting bins.
Co-pending patent application Ser. No. 973,926 which was filed on Dec. 28, 1978 in the name of Roy Akers discloses a high speed mailing sorting machine equipped with conveyors that have proven to be effective in conveying envelopes through the machine. The sorting function of the machine requires that the mail items be maintained in a vertical orientation as they are picked off of the envelope supply, transported through the read station and directed to the appropriate sorting bins. The present invention provides an improved conveyor which can be used in a machine of this type and which is specially constructed to convey mail items that vary widely in thickness.
Thus, it is the primary object of the invention to provide, in a mail sorting machine, a conveyor which is capable of conveying mail items of various thickness while maintaining them in a vertical orientation. The flexible fingers on the conveyor belts can be flexed sufficiently to accommodate relatively thin articles such as envelopes, as well as thick articles such as catalogs and the like. At the same time, the fingers apply enough pressure on the surfaces of the mail articles to convey them effectively along the machine.
Another object of the invention is to provide a conveyor of the character described which is suitable for use in various types of mail sorting machines and at various locations on the machine. Although the conveyor is primarily intended for use in high speed machines such as that shown in the aforementioned Akers application, it can also be used in other types of machines. Furthermore, the conveyor can be installed at various locations on the machine and is particularly effective in conveying the mail articles from the read station of the machine to the sorting bins.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a conveyor of the character described which is simple and economical to construct and effective and reliable in operation.
Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.